Confidentiality
Accreditation bodies are organizations that evaluate and certify that companies, organizations, or individuals meet certain predetermined standards in a specific area or field. One of the principles of accreditation is confidentiality, which means that the accreditation body must respect the confidentiality of the organizations or individuals being evaluated, and must not disclose any sensitive or proprietary information without their consent.
There are several reasons why confidentiality is important in the accreditation process. First, it helps to protect the privacy of the organizations or individuals being evaluated, and ensures that their sensitive or proprietary information is not disclosed without their permission. Second, it helps to maintain the integrity and impartiality of the accreditation process, as it prevents the disclosure of sensitive information that could potentially influence the evaluation.
Accreditation bodies typically have strict policies in place to ensure the confidentiality of the organizations or individuals they evaluate. These policies may include provisions for handling sensitive information, such as the use of non-disclosure agreements, secure storage of documents, and the destruction of sensitive materials after the evaluation is complete.
Overall, confidentiality is an important principle of accreditation that helps to ensure the fairness and impartiality of the process, and protects the privacy of the organizations or individuals being evaluated.
All full-time and external employees of U.S. Accreditation, members of United States Accreditation Inc. committees as well as all other persons that obtain knowledge of accreditation cases or receive other information as a result of their roles, are required to treat this information in confidence.
These types of obligations are either directly set out in employment contracts, by-laws, procedure descriptions, or may be included in separate confidentiality agreements in special cases. The confidentiality obligation may be removed in special cases with the agreement of the conformity assessment bodies.
Such an agreement is not required if United States Accreditation Inc. is required to provide information by law, and the affected party has been informed in this regard. In this case, the affected contract partner will be notified of the provision of such information.
Members of United States Accreditation Inc. committees may be excluded from the transfer of certain information if this breaches the conditions of EN ISO/IEC 17011 (e.g. in the case of potential conflicts of interest).
At U.S. Accreditation, we prioritize impartiality as a cornerstone of our accreditation activities. Upholding the highest standards of fairness, objectivity, and transparency is essential to fostering trust and credibility among our stakeholders. To ensure our commitment to impartiality, we adhere to the following principles:
-
Conflict of Interest Management: We proactively identify and manage potential conflicts of interest among our staff, assessors, technical experts, and decision-makers. Individuals with conflicts are not involved in the accreditation process for affected organizations.
-
Objectivity: Our accreditation decisions are based on objective evidence and verifiable criteria. We do not allow personal preferences, opinions, or biases to influence our assessment and decision-making process.
-
Equal Treatment: We treat all organizations seeking accreditation fairly and consistently, regardless of their size, location, or affiliation. We provide equal access to our accreditation services and apply the same criteria and procedures to all applicants.
-
Transparency: We clearly communicate our commitment to impartiality and provide stakeholders with easy access to our policies and procedures that safeguard it.
-
Accountability: Our impartiality committee, composed of representatives from various stakeholder groups, oversees and maintains our impartiality. We offer a mechanism for individuals or organizations to report concerns related to impartiality, ensuring that these concerns are addressed promptly and effectively.
-
Continuous Improvement: We regularly review and update our impartiality policies and procedures to ensure their ongoing effectiveness. By collecting feedback from stakeholders, we implement improvements as needed.
At U.S. Accreditation, we understand the vital role that impartiality plays in the accreditation process. By adhering to these principles, we demonstrate our unwavering commitment to ensuring that accredited organizations are recognized for their competence and adherence to high-quality standards.
- > Accreditation of Personnel Certification Bodies
- > Accreditation for Testing and Calibration Laboratories
- > Accreditation for Medical Testing Laboratories
- > Accreditation for Inspection Bodies
- > Accreditation for Building Department Third-party Service Providers
- > Building Department Accreditation
- > Curriculum Development Accreditation
- > Fabricator Inspection Accreditation
- > Field Evaluation Body Accreditation
- > Fire Prevention and Life Safety Department Accreditation
- > FDA Food Safety Modernization Act Program
- > Accreditation for Inspection Agencies
- > Cold-Formed Steel Component Manufacturer Inspection Accreditation
- > Metal Building Assemblers Inspection Accreditation
- > Metal Building Systems Inspection Accreditation
- > Accreditation for Product Certification Agencies
- > Proficiency Testing Provider Accreditation
- > Accreditation for Reference Material Producer
- > Accreditation for Special Inspection Agency
- > Accreditation for Training Agencies
- > VEGAN Vegetarian Accreditation
- > Food Safety Standard (FSS) Accreditation
- > Threat Agent Testing Laboratory Accreditation Program
- > FDA ASCA Pilot Program (Basic Safety And Essential Performance)
- > EPA National Lead Laboratory Accreditation Program (NLLAP)
- > FDA ASCA Pilot Program (Biocompatibility Testing of Medical Devices)
- > Cybersecurity Inspection Body Program
- > Competition Animal Drug Testing Laboratory Accreditation Program
- > Forensic Examination Accreditation Program
- > Food And Pharmaceutical Programs
- > BIFMA Compliant Program
- > Accreditation for Cannabis Testing
- > Accreditation for Consumer Product Safety Testing (CPSC)
- > Telecommunication Certification Body Program
- > CA ELAP Laboratory Assessment Program
- > Veterinary Laboratory Accreditation Program
- > ISO 20387 Biobanking Accreditation Program
- > Accreditation for ISO 29993 Learning Services
- > ASTM E2659 Accreditation for Educational Institutions
- > Hospital and Health Care Services Accreditation
- > Financial Accreditation
- > Accreditation for Government Agencies
- > Airport Carbon Accreditation
- > Airport Health Accreditation
- > Management System Certification Bodies
- > Accreditation for Human Health Care Management System
- > Accreditation for Asset Management Systems
- > Accreditation for Business Continuity Management Systems
- > Accreditation for Quality Management Systems
- > Accreditation for Occupational Health and Safety Management System
- > Accreditation for Environmental Management Systems
- > Accreditation for Information Technology Service Management Systems
- > Accreditation for Information Security Management Systems
- > Accreditation for Food Safety Management Systems
- > Accreditation for Medical Device Quality Management Systems
- > Accreditation for Energy Management Systems
- > Accreditation for ISO 55001 Ensuring Effective Asset Management
- > Accreditation for ISO 14064 Supporting Organizations in Managing and Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions
- > Accreditation for ISO 29994 Ensuring the Quality of Learning Services and Programs
- > Accreditation for ISO 29991 Demonstrating Quality in Language Learning Services
- > Accreditation for ISO 21001 Ensuring Quality in Educational Organizations
- > Accreditation for ISO 37001 Advancing Anti-Bribery Management Systems
- > ISO/IEC 17065 & other Assessment and Accreditation
- > Organic Agriculture
- > Canada Organic Regime
- > Organic Cosmetics
- > Cosmos Organic
- > Natrue
- > Sustainable Agriculture
- > Sustainable Energy Testing Program
- > EPA ENERGY STAR Program
- > EPA WaterSense Program
- > KOSHER Accreditation
- > NON-GMO Accreditation
- > Cruelty-Free Accreditation
Get Accredited
Accreditation by U.S. Accreditation will boost the profile of your business and demonstrate its commitment to being a quality education provider, respected worldwide.